Stargazer
by Yukari Lockwell
Summary: When you're feeling trapped, what do you do? When a certain 13 year old, Yuri Lowell feels that way he goes out on one of his nightly excursions to rid himself of this feeling. Howerver, what happens when a certain best friend accompanies him?


Stargazer

*Yuri's POV*

It was around ten o'clock and I couldn't sleep, well with Flynn's snoring I'm surprised I could get a wink of sleep with him next to me. My name's Yuri. Yuri, Lowell. I'm thirteen and live in a room of an inn in the Lower Quater of Zaphias with my best friend Flynn Scifo, the bane of my existence. Well anyways, there I was lying on my back, feeling confined. I needed to move, get some fresh air and I knew exactly where to go.

So, as quietly as I could I crept out of bed and leapt through the window of our room. I made my way down the streets of the Lower Quarter which at this time of night wasn't being patrolled by knights and stupid thugs. It much quieter out at night than during the day with the exception of the sound of the bars that were lively with drunken fools and broads. I kept on going until the sounds disappeared. I had reached the forest on the outskirts of Zaphias. I climbed the tallest tree I could find and began leaping through the dense foliage. I have no sense of direction so when you're this high up, you have a perfect view of everything and can't get lost. I leapt on until I reached a clearing where a large abandoned circus tent was. It was abandoned years ago but the tight rope and its net is still intact and in good condition.

* Flynn's POV*

I was sleeping idly until I rolled over and felt a cold spot. I immediately woke from my slumber to find that my best friend was missing from this equation. Knowing that idiot, he probably just went on his usual nighttime strolls. I myself, never join Yuri in his nightly excursions but today was an exception. I never thought of this, but where does he go? What does he do?

Figuring I wouldn't get back to sleep now that this thought had invaded my mind I left our room in search of my friend. However, I had no idea where to start so I stopped at the entrance of our room and thought; "If I were Yuri where would I go at ten o'clock at night?"

I knew that Yuri wouldn't be anywhere loud and/or crowded. After all, in spite of being incredibly loud and obnoxious himself, Yuri has always hated loud noises. That means that he wouldn't be at any of the bars, he'd be somewhere forgotten where it's quiet. He'd want to be somewhere where he feels free.

Then it hit me. I started running for the forest that lay not too far from the Lower Quarters, to the abandoned circus tent. Where, as I predicted, found Yuri but…

*Yuri's POV*

I had just reached the top of the tight rope, carefully balancing myself on the thin cord staring up at the stars, visible thanks to the large hole at the very center of the tent. I then looked down at the ground where the net was and I started walking further down the rope when I heard an all too familiar yell as I felt my wrist get tugged backwards.

"What the hell are you doing Flynn?" I snapped, turning around to find my friend iron-gripping my wrist.

"Saving your life!" He retorted, azure eyes glowing especially bright thanks to the moonlight. I lightbulb in my head lit up. I tugged my hand away and grabbed his arm, pulling him along with me. That idiot has great balance, so I didn't need to worry about him falling.

I lead him to the middle of the rope when I slid of the rope, taking Flynn along with me. I rotated our bodies so that we were staring upwards at the stars. I felt invigorated. Hearing the wind whistle in my ears and seeing the stars twinkle in the night sky.

I do this whenever I feel confined; it clears my mind and allows me to feel free, like I'm breaking out of a cage. The cage being the damned Empire and their snotty nobles, the taxes that they use to bleed our people dry every year and the ignorant knights that don't do anything to help us. I can't stand it! Though, none of that matters when you're falling.

Flynn was screaming his head off, with a priceless face to boot. We kept falling until we felt the net catch us. We bounded up and down until coming to a full stop.

*Flynn's POV*

I had decided it. I was never going to follow Yuri on one of his nighttime "strolls" ever again. I had grabbed Yuri's wrist to keep him from doing anything stupid when he suddenly tore himself from my grip and dragged me along on the tight rope before jumping with me in tow! Before I knew I had found myself staring up at the stars, I shifted my view to look at Yuri wondering why in the hell would he walk to the middle of a tight rope to jump off of it! When I looked in his eyes I saw something I had never seen before in his eyes. Pure happiness. Normally Yuri's eyes were like dark lakes of mystery, he always hides his emotions and I can never tell how he truly feels or if he feels anything at all.

But right now his eyes were shining, reflecting the stars above and I'll admit, to see the stars twinkling brightly and hearing the wind in my ears, really made me feel good.

When we landed on the net we lied there in silence for a minute before Yuri just started laughing.

"Why are you laughing Yuri?" I asked getting up and staring at my friend curiously.

"Cuz I feel free, that's something worth being happy and laughing about right?" He responded getting up as well, his eyes still in the stars.

"Free?" I questioned, "How does falling from a tight rope tens of feet up make someone feel free?"

"Well it just clears my mind." He answered. "I get tired of the usual noise and chatter way up in the Lower Quarter, even I need to slow down every once and awhile. This helps me do that."

"Wow, you slowing down? That's pretty hard to believe" He then promptly punched me in the arm for that remark.

"I'm being serious here Flynn" Yuri said, taking his eyes away from the stars to look me right in the eye. "Well we should start heading back, you lead the way Flynn."

"Why me?' I retorted.

"So that we don't get lost, you dummy. Or did you forget how bad a sense of direction I have?" He said, jumping off the net and heading towards the tent's exit. I quickly followed behind him.

*Yuri's POV*

The way back to our room was quiet in what felt like an hours of walking. Upon reaching the door to our room I went inside and grabbed our blankets and pillows before grabbing Flynn and climbing up to the roof of the inn where we lived. I set the blankets on the roof and lied down, putting my hands on the back of my head and staring up at the stars once more.

"You really like stars, don't you Yuri?" Flynn's voice brought me back down to earth.

"Uh. Yeah I guess." I responded.

"Which one's your favourite?" He asked.

"That one." I yawned, pointing up at the largest and brightest star in the sky. It's always been there in the sky no matter what, shining proudly. Whenever I used to feel lonely as a kid I would look up and it would be there keeping me company at night. Now Flynn's taken its place.

"That one?" Flynn yawned. "Why?"

"Cuz it reminds me of…" _you,_ I managed before my eyes shut and I fell asleep. Knowing that even though the next morning that star wouldn't be there, Flynn would be right there beside me.


End file.
